Once Upon a Time in Madras Film Review

Prasadh Murugan makes his directorial debut in the hyperlink thriller Once Upon a time in Madras which has an ensemble cast that includes Bharath, Abhirami, Thalaivaasal Vijay, Anjali Nair, Pavithra Lakshmi and a guest appearance by Kaniha. The film also introduced Shaan playing the role of Kathir.

Savitri (Abhirami) has borrowed money from a loan shark to pay for the education of her only child, but now finds herself in a tight corner as she is unable to pay off the money owed to him.

Meanwhile, runaway couple Raja (Bharath) and Rachel (Sini Yudhan) find themselves in urgent need of money to pay for emergency surgery for Rachel.

Newly wed Madhi (Anjali Nair) has to make major adjustments to her life after marriage, but she soon discovers a shocking truth.

Finally, there is Anitha (Pavithra Lakshmi) who has fallen in love across caste lines and must now face the brunt of the outdated prejudices of her father (Thalaivaasal Vijay)

Although the story begins in the first minute, the pace of the first half is unhurried but reaches its crescendo fifteen minutes before intermission. From that point on, the pace moves very rapidly, as the hyperlink plot gets closer to its climax.

The most disturbing aspect of Once Upon a time in Madras, is that is based on real events. The issues of sexual identity and leftist leanings are therefore more than just the views of the writer and director – They are glimpses into a deeply troubled society facing new challenges, or confronting challenges that were always there, but under the radar.

Once upon a time in Madras has some very impressive acting performances, many of which ar worthy of consideration for an award.

At the top of the list is Abhirami who has always played varied roles to perfection, but the strength of her character in this role and her flawless execution makes her portrayal of Savitri one of the most memorable of her career.

Bharath remains an under-utilised and under-appreciated actor and his role in this film underscores the immense talent he has.

Anjali Nair is in stunning form, using powerful expressions to the maximum to convey the complexities of her character and the dilemmas she faces.

Thalaivaasal Vijay has frequently shown his versatility. His role in this film goes beyond this and also shows what a talented actor he is when it comes to portraying intense emotion realistically.

Cinematography by KS Kalidoss and R Kannan has a few highlights and some experimentation with angles but not enough for a film of this intensity.

Jose Fanklin’s background score is good but the film’s only song is unimpressive.

Once Upon a Time in Madras looks at the difficulties and challenges of modern life and how mere survival is often in itself difficult. These intricacies are brought out brilliantly in a thoughtfully crafted screenplay.

Once Upon a Time in Madras scores 8 points out of 10.